Company gives employee a $150 bonus, takes $150 out of her next paycheck: 'My manager made a big show of giving me a holiday bonus. Now he's saying it was a salary advance.'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
Feb 1, 2026 8:00 PM EST

Either this was a payroll mistake, or her boss is a real slimeball. 

In some offices, bonuses are 100% expected, especially around Christmastime. Some employees base their entire Christmas gift budget around the bonus they get at the end of the year. Some people can fully fund their Roth IRA with just the money they get from their bonus. It's one of those things that keeps employees motivated and excited, not to mention, it helps good employees stick around. 

Not all workplaces have a bonus culture. Some workplaces don't have bonuses at all, while others only give them when they feel they have really been earned. Sometimes bonuses are based on tangible data, and other times they're just based on vibes. If you work in one of these offices where bonuses aren't guaranteed, you probably shouldn't rely on the money from said bonus for your day-to-day expenses. You should either use it to pay off debt, put it in a savings account, or spend it on something fun you wouldn't usually buy. If you spend a bunch of money thinking, "I can't afford this, but I'll probably get a bonus in two months so I can pay it off then," you might be in for a world of heartache when that bonus ultimately doesn't come through. You can't rely on a raise or a bonus unless the money is tangibly in your hands or in writing. It's sad, but true.

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  • A professional woman in a suit smiles confidently
    via Vitaly Gariev

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • The employee in this story thought she had received a $150 bonus during the holidays. Turns out, her boss just took $150 from her paycheck and gave it to her early as a “bonus.” Not only that, but he acted so smug about his generosity for giving her a bonus.

  • My company gave me a $150 "bonus" and then said it was a salary advance. This is ridiculous.

    I'm really confused and very upset right now. My manager made a big show of giving me a $150 "holiday bonus" a few weeks ago.
    via u/savvy_outline6l
  • A cheerful mature businessman standing in an office arms crossed
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • I thought it was a nice gesture from him, and of course, I spent it assuming it was extra money.
    via u/savvy_outline6l
  • I just got my paycheck and found $150 deducted, with "salary advance" written next to it.
    via u/savvy_outline6l
  • So does this mean it wasn't a gift at all? Honestly, I would have much rather just received my full paycheck.
    via u/savvy_outline6l
  • Now I'm short on money I was counting on because I blew that $150 on things I wouldn't have even bought otherwise.
    via u/savvy_outline6l
  • Legs of unrecognizable woman wearing pants and holding blank shopping bags while walking in mall
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Is this legal? I don't know if this is the right place to ask, but I really have no idea how to handle this situation.
    via u/savvy_outline6l
  • JamesWjRose Sketchy af! at the least. Never trust them again. Find a new job and ghost them
    via u/JamesWjRose
  • Oatz3 You should assume it's a mistake until directly told otherwise. Email payroll/your manager and ask why the bonus was sent as a salary advance.
    via u/Oatz3
  • Go_Big_Resumes Yeah, that's shady. Sounds like they called an advance a "bonus" to make you spend it. Talk to HR, show any emails or messages about the bonus, and ask why it got deducted. Legally, they usually can't just take money back without your agreement. Lesson learned, don't touch "bonus" money until it's confirmed.
    via u/Go_Big_Resumes
  • No-Boss3093 Doesn't the 150 check say something?
    via u/No-Boss3093
  • NoYu0901 >I just got my paycheck and found $150 deducted is the total gross salary somehow higher/ lower than or the same as the last month with that $150?
    via u/NoYu0901
  • Old_Still3321 Things like this are why you should only poop at work. They don't deserve your ultra-concentrated effort.
    via u/Old_Still3321
  • Ruthless_Bunny Can you call payroll or is this three people and one desk kind of place? It's bullshit. Is what it is
    via u/Ruthless_Bunny
  • DoTheRightThing 1953 Warn your coworkers about "bonuses" from your employer and find another job.
    via u/DoTheRightThing1953
  • BangingOnJunk I would just go to my boss (or whomever processes payroll) and ask what the "salary advance" is. It's a legit question. Play dumb with already connecting it to the $150 bonus. Make your boss explain what happened. It may have been added on there for tax reasons since a bonus is income and needs to be properly claimed and documented, but this doesn't seem proper. Let your boss explain it though.
    via u/BangingOnJunk

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Payroll salary employee bonus manager workplace paycheck company money holidays
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